New Zealand vs Australia

Over-by-over report: The reigning champions begin the defence of their title against their trans-Tasman rivals. Join Jonathan Howcroft for updates.

1st over: New Zealand 14-0 (Allen 14, Conway 0) Starc begins on a good line and length over the wicket to the right-handed Allen for a dot. Aaron Finch is mindful of the weather and made the obvious choice to chase. The wicket is straw coloured and dry, and Allen believes it’s going to play truly, swatting the second ball for a one-bounce four over wide long-on, then a third ball six with an even cleaner smite. The ball trickles away for four and is subsequently belted to the opposite segment of the boundary with a glorious lofted cover drive. Conway recognises he needs to rotate the strike, which he does, allowing Allen to sashay down the pitch and calmly loft a six-iron over the sight-screen. 6th over: New Zealand 65-1 (Conway 19, Williamson 4) Cummins begins his second over with a dot but Conway responds with an inventive bunt for four down to third, stepping to leg, then reaching to deflect a delivery barely on the cut strip. 4th over: New Zealand 56-0 (Allen 42, Conway 14) Marcus Stoinis is called on much earlier than he imagined, and after Conway strokes a couple through the covers there’s a shout for a catch behind but the ball clipped the batter’s grille, not his gloves, as a loopy bouncer arced through to Matthew Wade. 7th over: New Zealand 74-1 (Conway 26, Williamson 6) As the field spreads, Conway welcomes Adam Zampa to the attack by carving a sumptuous cover drive for four. Conway and Williamson are happy to deal in ones and twos with the latter (eight from 12) still yet to find his timing, especially to the off-pace deliveries. 12th over: New Zealand 112-1 (Conway 48, Williamson 21) Starc remains in the attack as the floodlights take full effect and it’s a superb over full of pace and swing, keeping the Black Caps honest and threatening the stumps with every delivery. 11th over: New Zealand 109-1 (Conway 46, Williamson 20) Immediately after the mid-innings drinks break Williamson carts a Stoinis legside delivery over the square-leg fence in a statement of intent. 15th over: New Zealand 144-2 (Conway 70, Phillips 7) Zampa beats the outside edge of Conway’s bat with a wrong’un but the opener’s back foot remains grounded as Wade removes the bails.